My brother and I searched for Black-owned florists for tributes for our mother's funeral.
We decided to use Bob Farr because they are located in the neighborhood we grew up in, and I told him that I had used them before.
They made a beautiful bright and exotic bouquet for my aunt's birthday a few years ago.
We met there and picked out two beautiful standing floral arrangements and a casket pillow which was to have matching flowers, and a ribbon adorned with the word "Mother".
The delivery instructions were to have the florals delivered a full hour and a half prior to the family hour.
I panicked when I didn't see them when I walked in, but I was already overcome with emotion; and I of course had to greet people, so the calling the florist to inquire as to their whereabouts wasn't something I thought to do.
The florals didn't arrive until right before the actual funeral service started. So, of course, all of the flowers couldn't be rearranged and these placed where they should have been (flanking the casket). There was no time to do anything but hurry and put them near the front of the parlor.
The matching standing pair had to be placed wherever they could fit, which ended up being right next to each other, and the pillow was hurriedly handed to me.
The pair were so close to the 1st row of family members that one of the members kicked and nearly tripped over it taking his seat. No fault of the florist I know, but had the large arrangements been there when they should have been, the funeral home staff wouldn't have been rushed.
The floral placement ended up looking ridiculous with two matching last-minute arrangements placed on one end.
I paid respects to my mother once more and laid the pillow (which had no ribbon) inside the casket and took my seat.
4-5 minutes later, the director returned the pillow to me because they were closing the casket. Therefore, the pillow ended up being a waste of time and money.
No one paying their respects at the casket even saw it. The next day, a friend who was sitting close the back of the parlor and couldn't see, inquired as to what the back and forth was about.
My brother had already mentioned that he didn't think we needed the pillow and didn't see buying it a practical expense.
I am very sad, to say the least. The florals were expensive and ended up being a waste of money as no one, except those close to the front even saw them or got to enjoy them.
I truly hope that my brother requested some of the money back that was paid. I am leaving it to him to handle.
*3 stars only because the standing arrangements were actually very beautiful read more